


been a long while, remember me?

by sujing_sm



Category: Yuri!!! on Ice (Anime)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, M/M, tumblr post
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-16
Updated: 2017-03-16
Packaged: 2018-10-06 03:53:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,641
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10325021
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sujing_sm/pseuds/sujing_sm
Summary: The door jingles right open.A man steps right inside, panting and covered in sweat. It is almost time to close.Viktor turns around from where he is cleaning the table tops. “Sorry, we’re closed...” The words dry by his throat when he sees who it is.





	

**Author's Note:**

> So, another tumblr post that got too long so I posted it on ao3.
> 
> Hope you guys enjoy.

Mondays. 

As far as Viktor has observed from the general populace throughout his entire working history at Ice Castle, Mondays have always been the most restless and painfully tiring of all the days of the week.

He loves it here; as the customers come pouring in, in need of a hot cup of cappuccino to fuel their sleep-deprived minds, the smell of grounded beans permeating the cafe, and the slight hum of voices in the background as they wait for the desired drink.

Doesn’t take away the fact that it _is_ slightly exhausting, though.

He hands another plastic cup filled with goodness to the next customer of endless customers, and sighs.

Mondays.

 

* * *

 Tuesdays are slightly less demanding, and Viktor can finally have a breather. Even after all these years he still can’t get used to the flow of things here. He thinks fondly back on the days when it used to be more bearable...

“Viktor.”

His coworker, Chris, calls out to him, and Viktor has no choice to go help out with the espresso machine. The man grins at him suggestively when he comes near him, and Viktor shoots him a politely confused look.

“So,” Christophe, who has been his partner for a long while now, flutters his long eyelashes at Viktor handsomely. He slings an arm over Viktor’s shoulder. “You’ve been pretty out of it lately. What’s been on your mind?”

“Hmm...” Viktor puts a finger to his lips wonderingly. “I don’t think so, no.”

“You can tell me anything, you know.”

“Oh, really?”

“Yup. Gonna spill anytime soon?”

“No.”

 

* * *

He spends Wednesday relatively free, as his shift ends sooner than expected with the slightly lesser amount of customers entering the shop; he retires early to watching video clips on his phone.

He is so absorbed that when Mila, a good friend of his, taps a finger on his phone-

He jumps.

“Are you okay?” she is concerned, he can tell. He smiles reassuringly at her.

“Yup!” He chirps cheerfully. “Just-” He gestures at his phone.

“Ah,” she nods knowingly. “I’ll leave you to it, then.” She leaves, looking much more mischievous than she ever had before.

Viktor stares exasperatedly at her back.

 

* * *

Thursday is much more busier, and in a way, louder than any of the days he has seen lately.

Yuri Plisetsky almost kicks down the door to the entrance in anger, and Viktor is to his service as soon as possible.

“My usual,” Yurio snarls in his own I’m-angry-and-you-shouldn’t-mess-with-me (yet quite endearing) way, but Viktor is not deterred by his attitude.

He cocks his head to the side, “I’m sorry, but what is your usual again? I seem to have forgotten.” He flashes a quick smile to the teenager, “You know how my memory is like, Yurio!”

“You bastard- my name is not- what do you mean, you forgot my usual?! I come here every week!”

“Hahaha!”

“Old man!”

His much more drawn-out resounding laughter only angers the boy more, but at least it helps Yuri relax for the first time since entering the shop. Viktor is glad.

Thursdays, he decides. Thursdays are great.

 

* * *

_He remembers the first time the man walked in._

_It had been a vivid Monday morning, just as the fifth or sixth customer had walked out of the coffee shop holding a hot cup of their preferred drinks._

_Bright hazel-brown eyes behind a pair of blue-black spectacles, shortened black hair._

_“Yuuri,” he had said, after Viktor had asked the name of the newcomer. “Katsuki Yuuri.”_

_“Hmm...” Viktor had replied back then. “We have another customer by the name of Yuri too. With a different surname, of course.”_

_“What would you like to order?”  
_

_“A caffè mocha, please.”  
_

 

* * *

Fridays are supposed to be relaxing.

Here’s another fact that Viktor has gathered from working in Ice Castle: it is not.

Viktor hates Fridays.

That’s all.

 

* * *

_Yuuri arrives on a Friday evening, looking a bit down._

_Viktor hands him a caffè mocha without prompting, knowing that the man needs some time to himself at the moment._

_Yuuri keeps silent throughout his entire stay at Ice Castle, and Viktor stays quiet as a supportive figure all the while._

_He cannot push Yuuri._

 

* * *

_A few weeks later, Yuuri visits once again, on a Friday. Viktor is relieved, as Yuuri hasn’t been coming as frequently as he would’ve liked recently._

_Yuuri spills everything that has been plaguing his mind._

_About his skating career, that has been in the dumps lately due to lack of inspiration. About his dog, who recently died in a car crash and he hasn’t seen in five years. About his family, who he just_ can’t _let down._

_“You figure skate? That’s so cool!”_

_Excited, Viktor had then marathoned all of Yuuri’s skating programs right after Yuuri had left the shop. He had even been scolded by Yakov for not doing his job properly enough with the lack of concentration he had.  
_

_Yuuri had become the most beautiful person he had even seen in his entire life, after that. Nothing, not even Yuuri could change that._

 

* * *

Saturday.

Saturdays are lazy.

Even though the sun shines bright outside, and the birds chirp positively atop branches of the sky-high trees, work must go on.

Viktor squints at the one customer that looks vaguely familiar, one that Chris has served while he had been idling by the sink.

He looks... Really familiar.

Disappointment sets in right away when he takes a closer look at the person’s face.

It’s not him.

 

* * *

_Somehow, subtly and irrevocably, Katsuki Yuuri has become a huge part of Viktor Nikiforov’s life._

_Just like Yakov, Chris, Mila, Yura, Georgi; Yuuri is irreplaceable to him as an important person to cherish deeply._

_Viktor can’t have it any other way._

_He is... incredibly happy._  

 

* * *

Sunday is an off-day for him.

Usually he spends his break lying on his sofa, hugging Makkachin close to him and checking his social media. He usually speaks to his friends casually over the phone, even Yurio who spits fire at him for wasting his precious time. 

But not today.

Today, he shuts off everything, turns off the notifications of his social media, mutes his phone and pulls Makkachin next to him to watch the video that’s streaming live in a couple of minutes.

The video stream is titled:  **“Katsuki Yuuri’s FS Live at the Rostelecom Cup”.**

He is mesmerized, once again, as Yuuri skates across the beautifully crafted ice, performing jump after jump of phenomenal perfection, and he is in awe.

Yuuri is as graceful as he has ever been, all those years ago.

Viktor is aching with longing, wishing to reach out to the man that he has not seen in a long long time.

But all he can do is gaze at him through the clear screen, pining after the man he had once known.

All he can do is watch.

Because Yuuri probably does not remember him, not anymore.

 

* * *

_"I’m going back.”_

_“I’m going back... to Japan.”  
_

_All Viktor can do is gape at Yuuri, thunderstruck by the awfully shocking news he has been dropped with._

_Yuuri... is going back to Japan. Japan, his hometown, with his family, who he hasn’t seen in years. Japan, which is the home he desperately misses._

_Japan, which is miles away from here, from Russia._

_“Alright,” he croaks out, hoping not to sound too heartbroken by it. God, he desperately hopes that Yuuri does not notice. “...When do you depart? I might sent you off at the airport. You are my favorite customer, after all.”  
_

_They both laugh, even the laugh is incredibly awkward and Viktor’s words seem so rushed and there is such a painful emphasis on the word_ customer _-_

_Yuuri gazes back at Viktor, and softly whispers with a bittersweet smile, “Goodbye.”_

_“Goodbye.”  
_

No, don’t go _, he thinks, and hates himself for it. He cannot control what Yuuri wants or does, and it’s just so_ agonizing _._

_He is going to miss him when he goes._

_Viktor prepares one last caffè mocha for Yuuri._

 

* * *

It is Monday once again, and Viktor feels rightfully tired, what with the amount of replays he had done on the laptop well into the night. 

But still, work must go on.

Mondays are tiring, but he still enjoys the work.

Just as he starts up his energy for the day, a thought hits him.

Yuuri is in Russia. What if-

He shakes his head. There is no way. Yuuri has forgotten about him and this coffee shop; he is sure of it.

That doesn’t prevent him from glancing at the door every time it is pushed open, though.

He knows he is being irrational.

 

* * *

The door jingles right open.

A man steps right inside, panting and covered in sweat. It is almost time to close.

Viktor turns around from where he is cleaning the table tops. “Sorry, we’re closed...” The words dry by his throat when he sees who it is.

Katsuki Yuuri steps forward hesitantly, “Umm...”

Viktor looks right into his eyes, wide-eyed and shocked.

“I’m sorry, but can you _please_ make an exception just this once?” Yuuri pleads. “Please, if it’s that much of a bother I’ll go once you make the drink.”

Viktor straightens up, finding his voice again. “Okay, please sit down then. You- you don’t need to go after I make the drink, it’s alright. Take your time.”

Yuuri’s eyes flashes in relief, and he takes a seat on the table he usually sits in. Viktor’s heart jumps to his throat.

Yuuri opens his mouth, words clumsy with the man he hasn’t spoken to in a while. “I-I’d like to have a-”

“A caffè mocha?” Viktor speaks without thinking.

Yuuri looks disbelievingly at Viktor. Viktor gazes right back at him. His pulse races right along with his thoughts. 

Together, at the same time, both of their lips slowly upturn with joy.

They remember.

**Author's Note:**

> tumblr: [sujing-sm](https://sujing-sm.tumblr.com/)


End file.
